The Light at the End of the Tunnel
by samantha114
Summary: For 5 years, Bella is abused by her mother's husband, Phil. She thinks she will never escape until she is sent to live with her biological father Charlie and sister Alice. She soon meets the Cullens, Edward in particular, who bring an unexpected light into her life. But when her troubled past comes back to haunt her, will love and friendship be enough? Please R&R. a little OOC, AH
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am rather new to the all human fanfictions. I would love it if you gave it a chance. Please feel free to tell me if I miss something or do anything wrong (…Nicely ). Thanks for reading and Please R&R! **

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS OR PLOT ELEMENTS! **

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Pain. That's all I felt. Hit after hit after hit. It started when I was 12. I don't have to do much to get hit; sometimes I don't do anything at all. Phil was ruthless.

Phil started this after he found out I wasn't his child. Apparently my real father lived in some God-forsaken town in Washington. Renee had told him 5 years ago. That was the night he started beating both of us. We used to be happy. We used to be a normal, functional family. Now we are anything but.

Phil's last kick brought me back to reality. That one was right in the ribs. I cried out in pain.

"Next time," he said, venom seeping from every word, "Don't burn dinner!"

He left my room, slamming the door on the way out. I laid there in pain for what seemed like an immeasurable amount of time. I finally got up to take a shower and get ready for bed. I slowly made my way to the bathroom, clutching the walls and doorways for support. When I looked in the mirror I was shocked at my appearance.

My normally brown hair was in shambles. Clumps of hair stuck together with blood and tears. My brown eyes were red and puffy from my silent crying. At least this time he avoided my face. I hate having to explain bruises and cuts to my friends.

The only person who knew was my only friend Victoria. The only reason she understood was because she had been through the same thing with her uncle before she moved in with her grandparents. She agreed to keep my secret but said if it ever got too out of hand, I was welcome to stay with her. Phil didn't care who I was with; he could care less about me in general. I tried to stay out of the house as often as I could, but I would always come back out of concern for Renee. He was oblivious to the fact that he could get caught…I think he figured that Renee and I were too afraid of him to go to anyone about the abuse. He was correct.

I got some clothes together and went started run the shower. The hot water felt good against my fresh wounds. I had six enormous bruises on my torso from where Phil had kicked me with his working boots on. I finished showering and went to bed. Tomorrow would be better…I hope.

**A/N: What do you think? I know, kind of a short chapter, but I will try to make the other ones longer. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi guys! I wanted to get the second chapter out ASAP. As for updates, I will as much as I can. Thanks and please be patient. I would really boost my morale and inspiration if you guys reviewed I could even get the next chapter out as early as tomorrow. Please don't forget to R&R!**

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING RECOGNIZEABLE. **

I woke up aching all over. I didn't want to get up, but I knew I had to assess the damage and get ready for school. Begrudgingly, I got up. I hobbled to the bathroom to take a look at my latest injuries. I looked in the mirror. Thankfully, my face was left unscathed. However, my hair was a mess again. I would take care of that later.

Hesitantly, I lifted up my pajama shirt. I knew there would be bruises, but nothing could have prepared me for the extent. My normally pale white skin was completely black and blue. It was tender to the touch and I wouldn't be surprised if I had broken a rib or two.

I looked at the time. I was already six thirty.I needed to get ready. I walked over to my closed and grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a plain purple t-shirt; I was never one to have an overly elaborate wardrobe. I guess I was just a plain-jane at heart. I retreated back to the bathroom and began my daily ritual. I just went through the motions: Brush my hair, brush my teeth, and apply some mascara.

"Bella," my mother called, "come downstairs. We need to talk."

Without replying, I made my way downstairs. Phil had already gone to work, so it was just me and my mother, Renee.

"What is it?" I asked hesitantly.

"You're moving to Forks tomorrow," she started, "Phil doesn't want you here anymore, so we are sending you to live with your father Charlie and adopted sister Alice."

"What?" I asked stunned, "Do I at least get to say good-bye to my friends?"

"Of course." She said, "After school today, you are going to pack and you'll be leaving the Phoenix airport tomorrow at 10 AM."

"But what about you?" I asked.

"I will be fine. I will survive." She said, "But please, don't tell the authorities about the abuse. He said he will kill me, then himself."

"Okay," I choked, holding back the tears, "I love you mom. Always."

I pulled her in for a long hug. I would miss her terribly.

"Can I still keep in touch?" I asked.

"Yes, but only through emails. I don't want to upset Phil," she said, "you had better head to school."

"Okay," I said as I headed out the door.  
I got into ancient truck and headed to school. The whole time I was thinking about heading to Forks. _What if he didn't like me? What if Alice didn't like me? What would the school be like? _I pulled into the school parking lot and headed to where Victoria and I hung out in the morning. I knew she would be devastated to hear of me moving. But I also knew she would be happy for me. I finally get to escape my own private hell.

"Hey Vicky," I said in a melancholy tone. Her hazel eyes looked up from her book and her fiery red hair was covering half her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked her voice thick with concern. I was sure she could hear the sadness in my voice.

"I'm leaving," I said, "My mom and Phil are sending me to live with my biological dad and adopted sister in Washington."

"Oh that's great!" she said, "You finally get to escape. I will miss you and all, but we can always keep in touch. At least you won't be in pain anymore. Aren't you happy?"

"Yes and no," I said regretfully, "I'm worried about Renee. She told me that Phil said if I told the police, he would kill her and himself. I don't want to lose my mother." I was on the verge of tears now.

Victoria enveloped me in a hug. I clung to her like a lifeline. I would miss her too. She was my best friend.

The bell rang, signaling us to head to class. The day passed by in a blur. All I could think about was going to forks. I was afraid for my mother, yet at the same time, relieved that I would finally be free of Phil. I was a strange combination of feelings to have.

When I got home, I prepared myself. This was going to be the worst and best day of my life.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's chapter 3! Hope you guys enjoy it. I've been trying to update as fast as possible. I really hope for more reviews. You guys are great! **

**DISCLAIMER: STILL OWN NOTHING!**

As soon as I got home, I started packing. Hopefully Charlie would help me get some winter clothes; I was seriously lacking in that department. We didn't really get brutal winters in Phoenix so all I really had was short sleeve shirts and jeans.

All of my belongings narrowly fit into one large suitcase. I couldn't wait to get out of here. Tomorrow would be the start of a new life, a better life. I did my homework and went to bed, dreaming of a life free of pain and suffering.

I woke up early. I was so nervous. All of the questions that had plagued my mind yesterday were re-flooding my mind. I couldn't wait to be out of Phoenix, but I wondered what I would be escaping to. I knew nothing of Charlie; up until almost 5 years ago, I didn't even know of his existence. I had only ever known Phil as my dad.

A few hours later, I was all ready to go. Phil was going to drive me to airport that was 45 minutes away. This kind of worried me because I feared Phil, but I knew that this was going to be the last time I would see him.

The car ride was 45 minutes of uncomfortable silence. I could feel the hatred emanating from him. When we got to the airport, He roughly handed me my ticket.

"I don't ever want to see you again," he said, his voice full of hate, "And don't think I was bluffing when I said you are not to tell anyone anything. I will kill Renee and myself. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I said emotionlessly, looking at the ground.

After he left, I felt a heavy weight leave my shoulders. It was like I could finally breathe after almost 5 long years.

I boarded my plane with a smile on my face. I couldn't wait to get to Forks. My fears from earlier seemed silly. I looked out my window and for once, I saw hope.

6 hours later, the plane landed at the airport in Seattle. I quickly got my luggage from the baggage claim and looked around for my name. I saw a short pale skinned girl holding a sign with my name on it. She had dark brown hair that was cut short. She had translucent blue eyes and pixie like features. She saw me heading towards her and smiled at me as if she had known me forever.

"You must be Bella," she said, "I'm your adopted sister Alice, and this is your father Charlie." She said, gesturing to the man next to her. Had dark hair and a mustache and smiled at me with warm brown eyes, similar to mine.

"Hello," I said shyly.

"Here, I'll take your bag," Charlie offered.

"Thanks," I said.

The 2 hour drive from Seattle to Forks was quiet. Occasionally, Alice or Charlie would ask me a question about me or my life in Phoenix. I was very careful to keep on neutral subjects.

Finally, we stopped in front of a large house. Was this really where I get to stay? I mean, our house in Phoenix wasn't small, but it wasn't as big as this one.

"Wow," I said.

I think I would be very happy here.

"Come on," Alice said, "I'll show you to your room. Tomorrow we can go shopping for some clothes and other necessities."

"Thanks," I said kindly.

Alice led me up the stairs and down the hall. My room was the last one on the right.

"My room is one door down and the bathroom is just around the corner. If you need anything, I'll be in my room." She said.

After setting my bag in my room, I went to the bathroom to freshen up. I took a shower and brushed my teeth. About a half hour later, Alice called dinner.

I made my way downstairs and sat at the table. There I found a pizza box and some paper plates.

"Sorry it's not much, but we just wanted to do something easy for dinner." Alice said.

"No, this is fine," I said with a smile.

We all sat down and began eating. I was eager to get to know my new family.

"So Charlie," I started, "what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a doctor at Forks Hospital," he said. The pager next to him started beeping. "Speaking of which, I need to head over there right now. Carlisle needs me. Alice, will you keep Bella company?"

"Sure thing. Edward, Jasper and Rosalie will be over later to grab some papers."

"Okay," he said, "I'll see you later Bella."

I just smiled as he left. About 20 minutes later we heard a knock at the door. Alice opened it.

"Hey guys," Alice said, "I want you to meet Bella, my new sister. Bella, this is my best friend Rose, her brother and my boyfriend Jasper, and his friend Edward."

All three smiled at me.

"Hi," I said meekly.

As they walked in, I was able to get a better look at them. Rose had flowing blonde hair that reached halfway down her waist. She had bright blue eyes and a warm smile. She was the epitome of beauty. She shook my hand firmly.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, "I can tell we are going to be the best of friends."

Jasper walked in next. He had much of the same features as Rose. He smiled at me and shook my hand.

"Pleasure to meet you." He said kindly.

I gave a shy smile back. Edward was the last person to come in was the most handsome boy I had ever seen. He had tousled bronze hair and mesmerizing emerald green eyes. He reached out and shook my hand. I felt a tingling warmth as our hands met.

"Lovely to make your acquaintance," he said in a velvety smooth voice. I could feel the blood rise in my cheeks.

Rosalie broke the silence. "You said you had some papers for us?" she asked.

"Yes," Alice said, "here you go."

She handed Rose a stack of papers.

"Will you be attending school with us, Bella?" Edward asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"What grade?" He asked.

"I'm a junior, what about you?" I asked

"Same for me, Alice, and Jasper," he said, "Rosalie and Emmett will be starting their senior year."

"Who's Emmett?" I asked.

"Emmett's my boyfriend," Rose said, "You'll meet him tomorrow at school."

I smiled and nodded.

"I think it's time we headed out," Jasper said.

"It was nice meeting you, Bella." Edward said.

"You too." I said.

Alice walked them out and I told her I was going to bed. I made my way upstairs, my mind drifting to Edward. I settled in to bed and drifted into sleep.

My nightmare was terrible. Phil was moving towards me with a sadistic smile on his face he pulled his fist back to punch me and I screamed. I woke up to warm hands on my arms.

"Bella? Wake up! Are you okay?" Alice asked.

I opened my tear filled eyes and looked up at Alice. I pulled her down for a hug. That was all I needed right now.

"Bella, tell me what's going on," she said.

"Alice, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to see that." I said.

"Bella it's okay. I'm here for you." She said.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked. She barely knew me.

"Look, I know we only just met, but I want you to know that I am here for you. You can tell me anything. I'm your sister." She said with a smile.

"Thanks." I said.

"Why don't you tell me what you left behind in Phoenix," she said, "that was what your nightmare was about, wasn't it?"

"Yes," I said defeated, "I'll start from the beginning."

**A/N: kind of a boring chapter…thanks for reading. I promise to have the next chapter up probably tomorrow. Maybe even an epov…Don't forget to review! **


	4. EPOV chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! Just thought I would surprise you with an EPOV! This takes place when Edward sees Bella for the first time. This is my first EPOV, so tell me if you guys want more or less. Hope you enjoy!**

**EPOV**

Here I was. Tuesday night, on my way to Alice's house to pick up papers. Why couldn't she have given them to us tomorrow? Surely there was some other reason. Alice always had hidden motives, but she was like a sister to me.

Rose pulled up in front of the house. We walked up slowly. Alice opened the door just as we walked up.

"Hey guys," Alice said, "I want you to meet Bella, my new sister. Bella this is my best friend Rose, her brother and my boyfriend Jasper, and his friend Edward."

She was so beautiful. Her light brown hair fell in perfect waves midway down her waist. Her skin was beautifully pale with a translucent quality. And her eyes; they were so beautiful. They were deep chocolate brown and absolutely captivating. It was my turn to introduce myself. I have to make a good first impression.

"Lovely to make your acquaintance," I said as I shook her hand. I swear I felt a spark between us. She blushed a deep red. And I thought she couldn't get more beautiful…

"Will you be attending school with us?" I asked.

"Yes." She said in an angelic voice.

"What grade?" I asked.

"I'm a junior, what about you?" she asked.

"Same for me, Alice and Jasper," I said, "Rosalie and Emmett are seniors."

"Who's Emmett?" she asked.

My eyes stayed locked on her as she talked with the rest of the group. All too soon we had to leave. At least I would see her tomorrow.

"It was nice meeting you, Bella," I said.

"You too," she said.

As we left, I couldn't help but think we had a connection between us already. I guess only time would tell.

**A/N: What do you guys think? More EPOVS? Less EPOVS? Thanks for reading and I will post the new chapter as fast as possible. Don't forget to review!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading. I hope you like this chapter. I will try and update every chance I get. You guys give me so much inspiration. Please don't forget to review!**

**DISCLAIMER: STILL OWN NOTHING!**

_Recap of last chapter:_

"_Yes," I said defeated, "I'll start from the beginning."_

"When I was twelve, Renee told Phil and I that I was not his real daughter. He was devastated. That night, he started beating Renee. Shortly after, he started beating me. I got beat for everything, and sometimes, even nothing." I said.

"Why didn't you call us? We could have gotten you here sooner and—" Alice started.

"Wait, there's more," I said, "On the day my mother told me I was leaving, she also said that Phil told her that if I told the police about what was going on in Phoenix he would kill Renee and himself."

"What are you going to do?" Alice asked.

"I can't tell anyone who will go to the police. I don't want to lose my mother." I said through tear-filled eyes. Alice pulled me into a hug.

"Did he hurt you really bad?" Alice asked concern and hurt apparent in her voice.

"Yes," I said lifting my shirt and showing her my bruised torso that had not yet healed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Bella. I'm so sorry," She said, tears streaming down her face.

"You're not going to tell anyone, are you?" I asked.

"Not unless you want me to," she said, "I know that I have only known you for a short time, but I already love you as a sister."

"Same here," I said.

We spent the rest of the night talking and laughing, and for once, I felt whole-hearted love. Not the strained love I felt from Renee or the hatred from Phil, but the love I had always hoped for. I was home.

**A/N: So what do you guys think? Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks so much for giving my story a chance! I really appreciate all the reviews and stuff. Here's the next chapter! Don't forget to Review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

I felt so much better now that I told Alice about my past. I didn't have to hide anything. The best part was that she accepted me and didn't see me as damaged goods. She accepted me as family.

"It's time to get ready for school," Alice said, breaking my train of thought, "what are you going to wear?"

"Just jeans and a t-shirt probably," I said.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" she yelled, "No sister of mine will be wearing jeans and a t-shirt on the first day at a new school!"

I chuckled at her reaction. "I only have one nice outfit; the rest is just jeans and t-shirts," I said.

"Well, when we all go shopping today, we'll get you some suitable clothes." She said.

"What do you mean "we all"?" I asked.

"I mean you, me, Rose, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward silly," she said.

"Well, I don't really have a lot to work with in the finance department," I said.

"Oh don't worry about that," she said waving a hand, "Charlie will take care of whatever you need. Now let's go we need to get you ready!"

I got dressed in a snug fitting, deep blue sweater and some grey jeans. Alice had on a pink blouse with some white jeans and pumps that matched her shirt. Somehow she had already managed to get her hair and makeup done. Now it was my turn. Alice pulled me over towards her vanity and assaulted me with makeup and hair-care products. The worst part was that she wouldn't let me see myself until she was done.

When she finally finished, she turned me around to face the mirror. Alice made me look amazing! My eye-shadow complimented my brown eyes, my lips were perfectly glossed, and my hair hung in ringlets down my back. For the first time in a long while, I liked the way I looked.

"Alice, you made me look gorgeous!" I exclaimed.

"Silly Bella," she said with a laugh, "you are beautiful, I just made it more pronounced. We had better go. We don't want to be late."

We took Alice's yellow Porsche to school. I still couldn't get over how nice of a car she had.

When we got to school, the group was waiting for us. The first person I saw was a huge muscular guy holding hands with Rosalie.

"Who is that!?" I asked in shock.

"That's Rosalie's boyfriend Emmett," she replied.

"He looks so intimidating," I said.

She laughed at my assessment. "Trust me; once you get to know him, he's a big softy."

Alice parked the car and we got out and headed towards them. Emmett had a huge smile on his face.

"So this is the Bella I've been hearing about," he said in a loud voice, "I'm Emmett, but you can call me Em."

"Nice to meet you," I said offering my hand to him.

Ignoring my extended hand, he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug, spinning me around in a full circle. "Sorry Bella, I don't shake hands, I only give hugs!" he said.

I laughed. This was so odd. I had only met these people, yet I feel as though I could trust them with my life. As soon as Em put me down, Edward came up to me.

"Do you want me to go with you to the office to pick up your schedule?" he asked kindly.

"Uh, sure." I said as a blush flooded my face.

"Let's go then," he said.

We started to make our way to the front office.

"So…" he started, "how do you like Forks so far?"

"It's great. You guys have been so welcoming. Especially Alice." I said truthfully.

"Good, I'm glad to know we're making you feel at home." He said.

When we got to the office, I got my schedule. 1st period: English, 2nd period: Trigonometry, 3rd period: History, 4th period: Spanish, lunch, 5th period: Biology, 6th period: Gym. I turned to Edward.

"Well since you came with me to get my schedule, you can look at it first." I told Edward.

He studied it for a second. "What a coincidence. We have the exact same schedule!" he said.

"Well at least I'll know someone in all of my classes." I said, blushing.

We walked back to the group together. He stopped me in the middle of the quad.

"Hey Bella, I know you don't know me that well, but I was wondering if you might like to go out with me on Saturday." He said.

This took me completely by surprise. He wanted to take _me _out? To me, that idea was absurd. There wasn't anything spectacular about me. Edward was basically perfection at its finest. What could he possibly see in me?

"So will you?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" I said a little too enthusiastically, "as friends or…" I trailed off.

"I really like you Bella. I think you're intriguing and beautiful. I really want to get to know you." He said.

"Sure," I said, "I'd really like that."

"Okay," he said, "let's get back to the group."

When we got there, I showed everyone my schedule. It turns out I had classes with everybody. A few minutes later, the bell for first period rang. Edward, Alice, Rosalie and headed off to English.

We got to class on time. Thankfully, the teacher didn't make me introduce myself, and allowed me to sit next to Alice.

"So," she said in a knowing tone as I sat down, "I hear that you and Edward have a date on Saturday…"

"How did you know?" I asked.

"He called me yesterday and told me," she said, "apparently you made quite the impression on him."

"How?" I asked, "What could he possibly see in me?"

"You really don't see yourself clearly," she said, "You don't have to be scared anymore. Phil isn't coming back and no one here would ever dream of hurting you. It's okay to feel at home and to have fun. Edward really likes you, and I know you like him too. Somehow I just know that you two will end up together."

Alice's words set me at ease. Maybe I can finally move on. Maybe I can finally be happy.

**A/N: What do you guys think? Thanks so much for reading my story! Don't forget to review! **

**Btw: I know this has nothing to do with the story, but I love reading fanfictions just as much as writing them, so if anyone knows of a good ExB human story, pm me the story! Thanks!**


	7. EPOV Chapter 5

**A/N: Okay, you guys got me so pumped up for this story, I just keep writing! Keep up the great reviews! I know that there was a lot going on in the last chapter, so here's an EPOV for you. Surprise!**

I couldn't get her out of my mind. I was constantly thinking about her! The only person who I could go to for advice is Alice…maybe I'll just call her.

Before I could change my mind, I was already dialing Alice's number. Hopefully she was up…it was already 11 pm. _Please be awake, Please be awake_ I thought. Thankfully, she answered.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Alice," I said, "I need your advice on something. Are you alone?"

"Yeah, Bella went to sleep," she said, "is this about her?"

"Yes," I said, "I can't get her out of my mind. I don't know what to do. I really want to ask her out, but—"

"Then ask her." She said.

"But what if she says no? I've only known her since yesterday…I hardly know anything about her. I couldn't just—"I started.

"Edward," she said, cutting me off again, "just ask her. I have a feeling she likes you too and might say yes."

"Okay Alice," I said, "Thanks for all of your help."

"You're welcome, Edward," she said, "goodnight."

"Night." I said as I hung up.

Now all I need to do is ask her out…that should be simple enough…right?

I woke up in the morning feeling completely motivated. Today was the day I was going to ask Bella out. I got ready excitedly. I pulled on a gray shirt and some dark pants and headed out to my car. I drove to school with complete confidence.

When I got to school, Rose, Em, and Jasper were already there. Alice and Bella were just pulling up. I watched as Bella got out of the car.

She completely took my breath away. She looked stunning. She was wearing a blue sweater that complimented her skin and hugged all the right places. Her hair hung in perfect ringlets down her back. Her makeup was beautifully done, accentuating her eyes. She looked at me and blushed a deep red. This girl was definitely trying to kill me.

I watched as she greeted everyone again and finally met Em. After he gave her one of his famous hugs she turned towards me. Now was my chance.

"Do you want me to go to the office with you to pick up your schedule?" I asked.

"Uh, sure," she said, blushing again. I smiled.

"Let's go then" I said.

The walk to the office was sort of quiet. _Say something Edward! _I thought to myself.

"So…" I started, "How do you like Forks so far?" I asked. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _I thought.

"It's great. You guys have been so welcoming. Especially Alice." She answered.

"Good I'm glad to know we make you feel at home," I said with a smile.

All too soon, we arrived at the office. I waited near the door for Bella to come out. A few minutes later, a smiling Bella came out.

"Since you came with me to get my schedule, you can look at it first." She said.

I looked at it for a second. I was completely shocked. "What a coincidence. We have the exact same schedule!" I said a little too excitedly.

"Well at least I'll know someone in all of my classes," she said with another blush.

We made our way back to the group. We were halfway there. _Now or never,_ I thought to myself. I stopped her in the middle of the quad.

"Hey Bella, I know you don't know me that well, but I was wondering if you might like to go out with me on Saturday." I said.

She looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face for a long moment. _Oh God, _I thought, _now I've done it. _

"So will you?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" she said happily, "as friends or…" she trailed off.

_Well I got this far…_I thought.

"I really like you Bella. I think you're intriguing and beautiful. I really want to get to know you." I said.

"Sure," she said, "I'd really like that."

Butterflies filled my stomach. She wanted to go out with ME! I didn't know how someone like her could like someone like me, but I guess I would find out.

"Okay, cool," I said, "let's get back to the group."

When we got back, everyone took a look at Bella's schedule to see if they shared any classes. All I could think about was our date. Just minutes later, the bell rang. Bella, Alice, Rosalie and I started walking to English.

When we got there, the teacher put Bella next to Alice. Unfortunately for me, they were all the way across the classroom. Maybe she would sit next to me in one of our other classes…a guy could only hope.

**A/N: So, what do you guys think? Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing, you can look forward to a shout out in the next chapters authors note! Don't forget to review!**


	8. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks soooo much for all of the reviews! You guys are so great. As promised, I give a special shout-out to the following people for amazing reviews (sorry if I spell anything wrong):**

**-Faith Bow**

**-Layniebug98**

**-Little Misses**

**-Ninasa1122**

**I just wanted you guys to know that you constantly make my day with your reviews and I feel honored that you give my story the time of day and spend that extra minute or so to review. Thanks so much! Keep it up! Here's chapter 6! Enjoy! Btw: This is the first scene where passing notes and/or texting will occur. Keep in mind that Bella is **_Italics, _**and whoever she is talking to will be **underlined. 

The next few periods passed by fast. I didn't get to sit by Edward in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th period. I was so thankful when lunch came. Edward and I walked to the cafeteria together and sat down at their table. I quickly got my lunch and took a seat in between Emmett and Edward. Emmett had a mound of food on his tray.

"Are you going to eat all of that?!" I asked in disbelief.

"Well of course!" he said, "this is what I have every day."

I took another look at his tray and then at mine. His tray had a multitude of different foods on it. It looked like enough food to feed an army; my tray was the opposite. All it had was a sandwich, chips, and a soda.

"So Bella," Alice said, effectively changing the subject, "are you still up for shopping today? You need a dress for your date on Saturday anyway! Oh! We can have dinner at the Cullen's house afterward! It'll be so much fun Bella!"

"Breathe Alice!" I said with a laugh.

"Wait a minute!" Rose said, "What date?"

"Bella's going on a date with Edward on Saturday" Alice said with a sly smile.

"Yes, yes, I have a date," I said, "Whose house are we going to?"

"Emmett and Edward's house. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen would love to meet you!" Rose said.

Before I got to protest, the bell for 5th period rang. Everyone went to their classes. Edward and I went to Biology. The teacher introduced me to the class and put me next to Edward. I had already learned the stuff the teacher was talking about so Edward and I were passing notes. I passed the first one.

_I'm so bored…_

I know what you mean…this class is sooo long. Are you ready for our date Saturday?

_ Of course, where are we going?_

I can't tell you, it's a surprise!

_ Ugh…I hate surprises_

Maybe I'll change your mind…

_ We'll see_

"Mr. Cullen," Mr. Banner called, "what is the full answer for question 6?"

"There are 23 pairs of chromosomes made during meiosis." He said smoothly.

As if he could be more perfect. Smart _and _handsome. At that moment, the bell rang and Edward and I were off to Gym. Much to my dismay, we were playing basketball. Edward seemed excited.

"Do you like basketball?" he asked.

"Ugh, no," I said, "you need coordination to play this game, and that is something I definitely lack in."

"It's okay, I'll protect you," he said with a crooked smile that took my breath away.

Too bad he was wrong. The first game was okay; I only tripped once. Halfway through the second game, I got hit square in the head with the ball. Edward came rushing to my side.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, "I told you, no coordination and basketball don't mix,"

He smiled and sat with me in the sidelines until it was time to go in. I got dressed quickly and walked with Edward to his car.

"How's your head?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," I said, "thanks for saving me."

"Anytime," he said, his eyes smoldering.

He leaned in, our face only inches apart.

"Belllaaaa," Alice sang, "time to go shopping!"

"Ugghhh!" I said, frustrated.

"It's okay," Edward said with a smile, "I'll see you later when you come by my house."

"Okay, bye," I said.

Alice, Rosalie, and I all piled into Alice's Porsche and headed to the mall. The second we started driving, Alice bombarded me with questions.

"What did he say in biology? Did he say where he was taking you? What did you guys do in Gym? Did he kiss you? OMG! He totally kissed you right!?" she said, without taking a breath.

"Alice calm down!" I said, "We passed notes in biology, no he did not say where he was taking me, in gym we played basketball until I got hit in the head. After that we just sat on the sidelines and talked. And no, he did not kiss me!"

Before she had any more time to ask questions, we arrived at the mall. For 3 hours I was dragged around from store to store, being forced into dressing rooms and trying on a million different things. Finally, after I had a complete wardrobe, Alice took me into what she said was going to be our last store. I went in and looked around. This place was amazing. It had an entire floor of beautiful dresses and blouses for special occasions.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, "I don't need these kinds of clothes."

"What do you think you're going to wear on your date on Saturday, silly?" Alice asked rhetorically.

Before I knew what was happening, she had an armful of dresses and pushed me into the dressing room.

"I want to see every dress, Isabella!" She ordered, using my full name.

"Fine." I said.

I tried the first one on. At first I thought it was a shirt because it was so short! There was no way I would be caught dead in public wearing this thing. It looked like the designer ran out of material.

"Alice I don't want to come out in this one," I whined.

"I want to see it, no come out here or I will come in there and get you." She ordered. Somehow I knew she was telling the truth.

Hesitantly, I stepped out in the so called dress I had on.

"It's a no," Alice said.

"Thank God," I said, as I gratefully retreated to the safety of the dressing room.

The next ten dresses were all no's. They were all either too short, too long, to casual, or just plain ugly.

"We've been here for hours!" I whined.

"Just one more Bella, and then we can go home." Alice said.

I went back to the dressing room and sighed. There was one more dress. It was an off white dress that was long and billowy. It cinched at the waist, curving in just the right places. For the first time since this dress hunting began, I felt hope.

"I think this is the one, Alice," I said.

I stepped out of the dressing room and heard the gasps. Alice and Rosalie looked at me wide-eyed.

"Dang Bella," Rose said, "you look hot!"

I blushed. "Thanks," I said shyly.

"We are totally getting this one!" Alice squealed.

After we paid for the dress, we headed over to the Cullen's house. I couldn't wait to see Edward again. The drive to their house only took about 15 minutes.

As soon as I stepped in, I was greeted by Emmett. He pulled me into a huge hug. Thankfully, he didn't hug my waist too tight. My ribs were still really sore.

Jasper gave me a polite smile and Edward gave me a small hug. I blushed. In the other room, I noticed 2 other people I had never seen before. I assumed they were Dr. and Mrs. Cullen.

"Follow me," Edward said. He led me into the dining room, "Mom, dad, this is Bella."

They were just as good looking as Edward and Emmett. The man had blonde hair and Edwards unmistakable green eyes. The woman sitting next to him had soft bronze hair and warm brown eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. and Mrs. Cullen." I said, shaking their hands.

"Please," woman said, "call us Esme and Carlisle. We have heard so much about you."

"Yes," Carlisle said, "Charlie is has been talking about you nonstop at the hospital since he knew you were coming."

"Only good things, I hope," I said with a smile.

"The best," he assured me. He turned to Edward. "Your mother and I are going out for a while. We'll be back later."

"Okay." Edward replied.

Carlisle and Esme left and Edward turned to me.

"So what do you want to do?" He asked.

"What do you do for fun?" I asked.

"How about we play a game." He said. "We'll ask each other questions and we both have to answer honestly."

"Sure," I said, "that sounds like fun,"

"I'll start." He said, "What is your favorite color?"

"Green," I replied without thinking, "what about you?"

"I would say blue," he said, "but your eyes have made me have a new appreciation for the color brown."

I blushed. That was the reason I had chosen green.

"Your turn." He said.

"Um, what's your all time favorite song?" I asked.

"Any genre?" He asked.

"Yeah" I said.

"You're going to laugh," He said, "Clair De Lune by Debussy,"

"No way!" I said, surprised, "That's my favorite too!"

He smiled. "Favorite book?" he asked.

"It's a tossup between Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights." I replied.

"Hmm…I can't really pick a favorite book, but Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, and Shakespeare definitely wouldn't make the list." He said.

"Why not?" I challenged.

"The men in those stories always make the worst decisions when it comes to love." He said shaking his head. I yawned.

"Do you want to just stay over here tonight? Alice and Rose are," he said.

"Sure," I said, I snuggled against his chest and he put his arm around my waist. I was home.

Phil was coming closer to me. He had a knife in his hand ready to stab me. I screamed.

"NOOOO!" I cried frantically, "PHIL NO!"

"Bella wake up!" I heard a velvety voice say.

I opened my eyes and shot up in surprise. Edward had seen everything. This was not good.

**A/N: Whew! Long chapter! Sorry about the cliffy there, I will update soon. Thanks for your continued reviews. Don't stop now!**


	9. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, so here's something different. This chapter's going to be in EPOV starting from the end of chapter 6. I haven't done this yet, so I would definitely like some feedback on it. Thanks and Enjoy! **

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

I couldn't believe it. The girl that I was head over heels in love with was just down the hall from me in the guest bedroom. I must have done something right to get such a smart and beautiful girl in my life.

"NOOOOOO!" she screamed, "PHIL NO!"

Before I even knew what I was doing, I had ran to the room down the hall to find her crying and thrashing in her sleep. I tried to shake her awake.

"Bella wake up!" I cried.

She looked at me with a guilty expression, as if she had done something wrong.

"I'm so sorry, Edward, I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

"Sorry for what?" I asked, "What's going on? Who's Phil?"

"I can't say," she said, "you won't want me…nobody wants me,"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, "Of course you can tell me. And I will always want you. I love you"

_Oh God, _I thought,_ now I've done it._

"Y—you love me?" she asked surprised, "I'm damaged goods. How can you love me? What do you see in me?"

"You are not damaged goods," I said firmly, "you are the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful girl I have ever met. I see beauty radiating through you, inside and out. Now will you please tell me what's going on?"

"Okay," she said, "5 years ago, my mother told the man that she married that I wasn't his child. He was so furious he started beating Renee and I. Phil hated me. He abused me, physically and emotionally, for everything. I was happy when I moved out here, but he told me if I ever told the police, he would kill my mother, then himself."

I sat there stunned. How could that man abuse _my _Bella? How could he have hurt something so beautiful and vulnerable?

"Bella, listen to me," I said as I took her face in my hands, "he is never, ever going to hurt you again. I won't let it happen. I love you. I know it's sudden, but there's no other way for me to describe it. I loved you the moment I laid eyes on you."

"But—" she started.

I crushed my lips against hers. They were so soft. She responded instantly. Her hands tangled in my hair and I wrapped my arms around her waist. She pulled away out of breath.

***Quick POV change***

**BPOV**

He loved me? I had just told him about Phil and my troubled past and he _still _loved me?

"But—" I started to say

His lips shut me up. I responded by tangling my fingers in his hair while he put his arms around my waist. I pulled away breathing like I had just run a marathon.

"I love you too," I said.

***POV change back***

**EPOV**

She loved me! I couldn't believe it! We stayed up and talked for a while, but eventually she succumbed to sleep. I stayed with her all night, thinking how lucky of a man I was to get a girl like Bella to fall in love with me.

**A/N: I know, kind of short, but what do you think? Don't forget to review!**


	10. Chapter 8

**A/N: So I got a lot of good reviews on the last chapter, and for that, I am very truly thankful. You guys are a constant source of inspiration. Thanks so much. Here's the next chapter! Enjoy and don't forget to R&R!**

****Special mention: Faith Bow, this chapter is just for you! :)) **

**DISCLAIMER: STILL OWN NOTHING!**

_Continued from Chapter7—EPOV…for now…_

Bella broke my train of thought. "Will you stay with me?" she asked.

"Always." I said truthfully.

I crawled under the covers with her and wrapped my arms around her. She smiled and nestled into me. A few minutes later, I felt her relax into sleep. Slowly, I did the same, dreaming of the angel in my arms

**EmPOV**

I got up in the morning in a pranking mood. I knew I was going to get someone good today. But I couldn't prank on an empty stomach! Eagerly, I got up and went downstairs to see what Mom was going to cook for breakfast. On the way I passed by Edwards room which was, to my surprise, empty. He was not a morning person at all and it was barely 8 AM, so I did a little investigating. I was just about to take a closer look in his room until I heard his trademark snoring coming from the guest bedroom where Bella slept last night. _Oh, _I thought to myself, _this is going to be good._ I tip-toed as quietly as I could into the guest bedroom. Lucky for me, there was a glass of water sitting on the bedside table. I picked up the water and dumped it all over Edward, careful not to get any on Bella.

"AHHH!" He screamed, "Emmett, what the hell man!?"

**BPOV**

I woke up suddenly to yelling and booming laughter. I opened my eyes to see a very pissed looking Edward with Emmett doubled over in laughter next to him.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU EMMETT!" Edward yelled as he charged after Emmett. Emmet ran out the door.

I laughed and got up, ignoring the puddle of water on the bed. Emmett's antics were so fun to wake up to.

I made my way to the kitchen and laughed even harder at what I saw. Edward had just poured an entire jug of orange juice on Emmett's head. Emmett was reaching for the jug of milk when Esme broke it up.

"Boys!" She said in a disapproving tone, "Is this how we act when we have a guest?" She gestured towards me.

Emmett put the milk jug back and both boys hung their heads.

"Sorry mom," they said in unison.

"Clean up this mess," she said in a very scary mom voice.

"Yes mom," they both said again.

About a half hour later, Emmett and Edward had cleaned up the kitchen and themselves. Esme made some pancakes and eggs and we settled into breakfast.

"So," Emmett said, "what happened with you and Bella last night?"

"Emmett," Edward said in an exasperated tone.

"Em all we did was sleep together!" I said…I then realized the double meaning behind my words, "I mean we didn't _sleep_ together, we just slept in the same room—um…" I could feel myself blush furiously out of embarrassment.

Emmett laughed at me. "It's alright Bells. I know what you meant"

I glared at him. "That was definitely not funny." I said.

"I thought it was," he said.

"As did I," Edward added.

"Not you too!" I said.

"Sorry love," he said with a smile, "you're beautiful when you blush."

I blushed again. Dang it!

Emmett got up to put his plate in the sink and went into the living room.

"I love you," Edward said, "and your blush."

"I love you, too." I said.

And for the second time since last night, his lips met mine. For the first time in my life, I felt completely at ease.

**A/N: Kind of short, I know, but I wanted to get at least one chapter out today. I promise I will have a longer one tomorrow. Please review and enjoy! **


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys thanks for being such great reviewers! For all of you ExB fluff lovers out there, this chapter is definitely for you! Thanks for reading and Enjoy! **

**Song for this chapter: Say Something by A Great Big Word **

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

*****BPOV—same day**

The rest of the day passed by slowly. After Edward and I finished our breakfast, I had to go home. Edward and I had our date tonight and I wanted to get a little bit of homework done before I had to start getting ready, which in Alice's case, meant at least 4 hours in advance. So that gave me about 3 hours to get my homework done and maybe even have some free-time.

After doing my trigonometry homework and finishing my biology paper, I had about 2 hours to kill. I went into the living room and turned on the TV. After flipping through the movie channels, I found that my favorite movie, The Notebook, was on. I could watch this movie a million times and never get sick of it. After about a half hour I fell asleep.

"Bella!" Alice yelled.

"Leave me alone!" I mumbled.

"Bella if you don't get up this instant, I will take you shopping!" Alice threatened.

I got up immediately.

"That's what I thought," she said smugly.

"What time is it?" I asked while yawning.

"12 o'clock," she said, "you should be getting ready!"

"But Alice, my date is not for another 4 hours!" I whined.

"So?" she said, "perfection takes time!"

"Ugh!" I yelled.

"Come on," she said, "you're going to start getting ready whether you like it or not." She grabbed my arm and half dragged me to her bathroom.

"Go take a shower," she ordered, "and use these." She handed me various body washes.

"Can I at least use my own shampoo?" I asked.

"I guess," She said begrudgingly, "I think Edward likes it anyway"

I rolled my eyes and stalked off to the bathroom. I stepped out of my clothes and set the temperature. I let the hot water loosen my muscles and wash away the day. 15 minutes later, I was in my robe waiting for Alice to start the torture process.

She started off with a face mask that I had to keep on for an hour. While we were waiting for the mask, Alice did my nails. She did a simple blue color that she said matched my outfit. After the nails dried, the mask was ready to come off. After all of that, we had 2 hours left. Alice then started on my hair. She rubbed in some kind of conditioning agent and started curling it. She finished it off with hairspray, forbidding me to look in the mirror. She then moved to my makeup. As she worked I looked at the time. 1 hour to go. Finally, 30 minutes later, I got to look in the mirror. I almost didn't recognize myself. My hair fell in soft ringlets down my back. My makeup was perfectly done. Alice had given me a deep blue eye-shadow that made my brown eyes pop, and my lips were perfectly glossed.

Alice interrupted my assessment.

She shoved a pile of clothes in my arms. "Get dressed." She ordered.

I headed to the bathroom and got changed. She had picked out a tight, mini tank-top dress that was the exact color of my eye-shadow and nail polish. Along with that she gave me black lace tights and black ballet flats that had a bow near the toe. I stepped out of the bathroom and modeled my outfit for Alice.

"OMG Bella!" she squealed, practically blowing up my eardrum, "You look a-ma-zing!"

A light knock at the door sent my heartbeat into overdrive. I honestly didn't know why I was so nervous; I loved and trusted Edward so much already. I quickly made my way to the door, grabbing my purse on the way. I opened the door and saw the most handsome man standing there.

Edward looked incredible. His hair was perfectly tousled, as always, and he was wearing a dark green shirt that really brought out his eyes. I don't think I would ever understand what a guy like that saw in plain old me.

He gave me a breathtakingly beautiful smile. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," I breathed, dazzled by him as always.

We headed out to his silver Volvo. He opened the door for me before moving to his own side.

"So," he said as he started the car, "shall we continue our game?"

"Sure," I said, "You can start."

"First kiss?" he asked.

"Um, my best friend's birthday party in 8th grade," I said, "it was the first time I had ever played spin the bottle and I had to kiss a kid named Trevor, it was truly awful." I scrunched my nose at the memory. "What about you?"

"Well it was in freshman year with a girl named Kate. She had always been quite persistent. She kind of forced herself on me and kissed me." He said.

"Well if you dazzled her like you dazzle me, I would have done the same," I said with a smile.

"_I_ dazzle _you_?" he asked incredulously raising one eyebrow, "It's definitely the other way around."

I rolled my eyes. "First real relationship?" I asked.

"Tenth grade," he said, "Tanya had just moved here from Alaska and had taken an interest in me. But I realized too late that she was selfish and self centered. She moved away about 6 months later. What about you?"

"Mine was in tenth grade as well," I said, "His name was Jacob Black. He broke it off after 5 months because I couldn't bring myself tell him about Phil and he couldn't take the secrecy." It was quiet for a second.

"We're here," he said.

We pulled up to a small, dimly lit Italian restaurant. I laughed when I saw the name. _Bella Italiano._

Edward smiled. "I figured you'd like that."

After he parked, he got out and opened my door for me. Taking my hand in his, we walked inside. The waitress that greeted us was the typical tall, blonde sporty type. To make matters worse, she was shamelessly flirting with _my_ Edward. I tightened my grip on Edward's hand. He smiled. The waitress—who I saw was named Brittney—led us to an isolated table in the corner.

"You're server will be right with you," she said in a sickly sweet, nasally voice.

I rolled my eyes.

When she walked away I turned towards Edward. "I wonder…was she just tactless, or did she honestly think she was being subtle?"

Edward laughed. "You know, you're adorable when you're jealous."

"As if I needed to feel more average." I grumbled.

"That, my love," he said, "is where you are wrong. Why would I choose an average blonde over the heartbreakingly beautiful, captivating brunette sitting next to me?"

"I love you so much," I said truthfully.

Before he could reply, our server came out. Thankfully it was a guy. He was okay looking, but paled in comparison with my Edward. I noticed Edward's posture stiffen next to me. There was no way he could be jealous.

"What can I get you to drink?" The server—named Mike—asked me, trying to be seductive; it didn't work.

"I'll have a Coke," I said.

"And for you?" he asked Edward coldly.

"Same." He said, in an even colder tone.

Mike turned and walked away to get our drinks. I turned to Edward. "You know, you are really hot when you're jealous,"

"Ha, ha" he said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes and he smiled. "I have the green-eyed re-incarnation of Adonis as my date! Do you honestly think I would even give that skeeze the time of day?"

"Is that really how you perceive me?" He asked. I nodded. "Well then I guess we have reached an impasse."

I laughed as Mike came back with our drinks.

"Are you ready to order?" He asked.

"I'll have the Linguini with Pesto sauce" I said.

"I'll take Fettuccini Alfredo." Edward said.

"I'll be right back with those," he said, winking at me. I cringed.

As Mike walked away, Edward sighed. "They're definitely just tactless," he said, "there's no way that could be interpreted as subtle."

I laughed.

Our food came out then, and we ate in comfortable silence. I was finished fairly quickly; the food was delicious. A few minutes later, the band started playing; it was one of my favorite songs.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"Well, you see, I can't really dance…" I said.

"It all depends on who you're dancing with," he said, "and besides, I would never let you fall,"

"Okay," I said hesitantly.

He took my hand and led me in front of the band. Keeping hold of my hand, he wrapped his other hand around my waist as my free hand came to rest on his shoulder. I laid my head on his chest and listened to the music.

_Say something, I'm giving up on you_

"I love you, Bella," Edward cooed, "More than you will never know."

"And I love you," I said.

We soaked up this wonderful moment as we swayed to the music

_And anywhere, I, would've followed you_

I knew in that moment, everything had changed. There was no going back.


	12. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for updating a little later than usual last night, but school's been hectic. I get a week off this week, so expect A LOT of updates. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy and don't forget to review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

***_Continued from last chapter….__**EPOV**_

As Bella and I swayed to the music, she looked up at me.

"I know it doesn't really matter much," she started, "but are we official now or…?"

"Well that depends," I said with a smile, "Isabella Swan, will you do me the extreme honor of being my girlfriend?"

"The honor would be all mine," she said. She yawned.

"We should get going," I said. She was probably tired. I didn't even want to think about the torture Alice put her through.

"Do you want to come over and maybe watch a movie or something?" she asked.

"Sure," I said. "As long as Charlie won't have a problem with it."

"No, he won't be back until early morning." She said.

We walked hand in hand to the car and I opened her door for her again. Esme and Carlisle had always taught me to be a gentleman.

I got in myself and we started driving.

"So," I began, "how do you get along with Charlie?"'

"Well, Alice said he was the quiet type. He doesn't really pry for information, which is something I really like," she said, "I still have to tell him about Phil; I just want to wait for the right moment."

"I understand," I said, "Carlisle was the same with me."

I figured it was the right time to tell her the truth.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"Carlisle is actually my uncle. He adopted me after my parents died in a car crash," I said, "I was only 5 at the time, so it was all very strange to me; but Carlisle didn't rush it."

"I'm so sorry Edward," she said softly.

"Its fine really, Carlisle and Esme are the best parents a kid could ask for," I assured her, "They really like you, you know."

She blushed and smiled. Before she could say anything else, we arrived at her house. I opened her door for her we went inside.

"What movie would you like?" I asked her.

"Um, just pick something; I'm going to go upstairs to get changed. Make yourself at home." She said.

I looked at the arsenal of movies she had. I picked one of my favorites, The Notebook, and sat on the couch. About 10 minutes later, Bella came out and sat beside me. She had on a purple tank top with some matching purple flannel pajamas.

"OMG Edward!" she squealed, "How did you know this was my favorite movie?"

"I didn't" I said, "This is my favorite movie too." Wow, could this girl get anymore perfect?

She smiled brightly. Hands intertwined, we settled in to watch the movie. About an hour into it, she fell asleep. Gently, I carried her bridal-style to her room and tucked her in. I wrote a note saying that I was leaving for the night and that I'd had a wonderful time. I headed out the door, my last thoughts being of Bella.

*****BPOV**

I woke up from the best sleep I've had in a while. Last night was so much fun. I learned a lot about him that I didn't know before. I stretched and went down to the kitchen. I found a note on the counter.

_Dearest Bella,_

_Thank you so much for an amazing night. I hope to do it again soon. You fell asleep last night, so I carried you to your bedroom. Call me in the morning. I love you._

_-Edward. _

I smiled. He was always the gentleman. I got some eggs and bacon out of the fridge and started breakfast. While the bacon was cooking I called Edward. He picked up on the 3rd ring.

"Good Morning, Beautiful," he said, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing much, just fixing breakfast," I said, "would you like to join me?"

"Sure, I'll be there in about 15 minutes," he said.

I hung up and tended to my bacon. About 15 minutes later I had all of the food plated up. I heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," I yelled from the kitchen.

Edward walked into the kitchen and I swear I lost my breath. He stood in front of me in a navy blue shirt and jeans. His eyes danced. I blushed.

"Are we going to eat?" he asked with a laugh.

"Of course," I said.

As we ate, Charlie came home. He looked frazzled.

"Bella, I have some horrible news," he started.

My heart sank. Somehow I knew it had something to do with Phil.

"What is it?" I asked, barely a whisper.

"Your mother was murdered last night," he said, "by your stepfather."

**A/N: Cliffhanger! I will try to have the next chapter up later today or at the latest tomorrow! Please, please, please review! Thanks and enjoy!**


	13. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey guys sorry about being a little slower with updates. I just recently got a week-long vacation from school, so I'm feeling exceptionally lazy. I promise to be a little quicker. Hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!**

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

**RECAP OF LAST CHAPTER:**

_** "Your mother was murdered last night," he said, "by your stepfather."**_

__"NO!" I screamed, "NO! That wasn't part of the agreement! He was supposed to keep her safe!"

A flood of tears ran down my face. "Why me! Why!" I sobbed.

Edward came next to me. "Bella I am _so_ sorry," he said.

"What agreement? Bella, what's going on?" Charlie asked, "I know that you've only been here a short time, but I want you to be safe. I can't keep you safe unless you tell me what's going on."

I finally composed myself enough to talk. Edward came and sat next to me on the couch for support. "You may want to sit down Charlie," I said shakily.

"I guess I'll start from the beginning," I said, "All my life, I had known Phil as my father. We lived a good simple life, full of happiness. That changed 5 years ago. Renee told him that you were my real father and all hell broke loose. He started beating Renee and I that night. At first, the beatings would just be a single punch or slap when I did something wrong. Then, as he realized that beating me gave him some kind of pleasure, it started to worsen. Soon I was getting several punches, kicks and slaps. He then progressed to using steel toed boots to worsen the injury; this would now happen not only when I did something wrong, but also sometimes when I did nothing at all. That day I was sent to live here, he drove me to the airport. He told me that he never wanted to see me again, and to keep my mouth shut about the beatings or else he would kill Renee and himself. I'm sorry I never told you."

Charlie face was turning angry. "I'll kill him," he said, his voice full of hate, "how could he do that to you guys? People like that deserve to die and rot in hell."

A sudden realization hit me. "So, where's Phil now?" I asked, my voice full of fear.

"He's still on the loose," he said, "but Bella, I swear, I will protect you."

"We will all protect you too," Edward said, putting his arm around my waist.

"We need to tell the others." I said.

"I'll call them right now," Edward said.

He grabbed his phone and called Alice. She picked up quickly. He held the phone out to me.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Bella, what happened?" She asked frantically.

"I'll explain later. Right now, I need you to round up Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett and meet me at the house. I also want you to explain to them about Phil." I said.

I just wanted to get it out in the open. I trusted Alice would tell them the truth. I just couldn't bear to tell my story again. It was too painful.

"Okay, I'll see you soon." She said.

About a half hour later, all four of them came in the house. Rosalie pulled me into a hug and let me cry. Emmett and Jasper did the same.

"I'm so very sorry, Bella," Rosalie said.

"Where does he live? I'll kill him!" Emmett yelled.

"I second that," Jasper said.

"There's more," I said quietly, "He killed my mother last night, and he's still on the loose. I'm afraid that he might come after me next."

"Bella there's no way in hell that that's going to happen," Emmett said, "If he tries to make contact with you, we'll go to the police. They can track him from there."

"Thank you, all of you." I said with tear-filled eyes.

"Bella, I know this is a bad time," Charlie said, "But do you guys still want to go to school tomorrow?"

Everyone looked at me. "Yeah we should probably go," I said, "I don't want to fall behind. I'm just scared. What if Phil comes to the school?"

"One of us will be with you at all times," Edward said. Everyone nodded.

"Okay," I said, "thank you."

In that moment, I felt more loved than I had ever felt before. For once I was safe and secure. This was my family now.

**A/N: A little short, I know, but I promise that longer chapters and more action are in the future. Thanks so much for reading this and please tell me what you think. Please review! Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews! I really appreciate it. Hope you guys like the next chapter! I also wanted to let you guys know that I have a poll on whether or not to do a sequel to this story. I've kind of already thought about a sequel, but I just want to know if it's something you guys would like. Don't forget to review/vote!**

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

I woke up in the morning feeling terrible. I went into the bathroom to get ready for school. I looked terrible. My face was red and puffy from crying and I had bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. I was tempted to stay home today, but I knew that I would see Edward at school, so I was better off just to go. I was also thinking about what Rosalie said; it was right before everyone left.

******_**FLASHBACK**_

_ "Bella," Rosalie said as she pulled me aside, "You really need to go to the police; there's no sense in waiting until Phil does something to take action. Maybe it would help if the police already knew the situation before it got out of hand."_

_ "I know Rose," I said, "I just don't want to do it alone."_

_ "I'll be there for you Bella," she said, "we all will. You've been through hell today so why don't you let me know what you decide tomorrow at school."_

_ "Okay Rose, thanks." I said._

_****END FLASHBACK**_

__I knew it was the right thing to do. I should have done that from the beginning. I was so scared of what Phil would do; I still am. With my mother gone, I thought he would have no more power over me. But I was wrong. He will always have power over me. With every kick, punch, and slap, he gained more control. I needed to take it back. I needed to take matters into my own hands. This time I was not alone.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a knock on the door. I ran downstairs and looked through the peephole. It was just Alice. I let her in.

"Sorry if I scared you," Alice said.

"It's okay; I've just been a little jumpy lately." I said, "Did you need something?"

"I came here to help you get ready and escort you to school." She said with a smile.

"You came by yourself?!" I asked. Alice was so small. If Phil got to her…

"No silly," she said calming me down, "Emmett is waiting in car, so we need to hurry up and get you ready."

She walked with me up to my room and allowed me to choose my own outfit today. I went with a simple pink blouse, dark wash jeans, and my Converse. Alice did my makeup and hair. She put on very little makeup; just some cover up, to hide the dark circles and puffiness, and some mascara. She put my hair into a simple French braid. Nothing too complicated.

I grabbed my backpack and headed out with her. As promised, Emmett was waiting in the car. He gave me a smile before I got into the backseat.

The drive to school was quiet; not awkward, but comfortable. They knew that I didn't want to talk that much.

When we got to school, we had about 15 minutes until 1st period started. I met Edward at our place.

"Hello, love," he said.

"Hey" I said with a small smile.

Emmett, Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper met us there as well.

"So what's the plan for today?" asked Emmett.

"Okay, I have the exact same schedule as Bella, so I will be with her at all times," he said, "But I want another one of you with us at all times, just in case you see something I don't." They all nodded.

I was scared. I didn't want my friends to suffer at the hands of my past. They didn't deserve it. Jasper must have noticed; he came up to me.

"Bella, is there something wrong?" he asked kindly.

Everyone turned to listen.

"I just don't want you guys to get hurt. If he got to any one of you, I wouldn't be able to live with my self—I never wanted any of you to get tangled up in my situation…I feel like a terrible friend." I said.

"It's alright Bella," Rosalie told me, "none of us blame you. We want to help you because we all consider you family. That's just what family does."

"Thanks guys. After school today, we'll go to the police." I said, "We need to end this once and for all."

Emmett came up to me. "Here Bella," he said, handing me a pocket-knife **(pic on profile)**, "Carry this with you just in case something happens."

"Okay Emmett," I said with a laugh, "but if I get caught with it, I'm saying it's yours."

He laughed and gave me a hug. The bell for first period rang.

"Alright," I said with a sigh, "let's go to class."

The day passed by in a blur. As promised, I didn't go anywhere alone. Even when I went to the bathroom, one of the girls went with me (not in the stall, of course). As I walked with Alice to her car, she turned toward me.

"We're going to stay at the Cullen's house until we get this thing sorted out. I already talked to Charlie about it, he thought it was a good idea." She told me.

"Okay," I said.

We headed to the police station in Alice's car with the rest of them behind us in Emmett's jeep. I knew I had to do it. Sooner is better than later I guess.

*****EPOV**

"Why don't you take her out, man?" Emmett asked again.

"I don't know if she would even want to," I said, "it's not exactly the best timing, Emmett."

"Well, you never know, she may just surprise you, bro," Emmett said.

"She always does," I said.

We pulled up at the police station and we went in. I went with Bella up to the front desk.

"I'm not sure how to really go about this," she said, "I need to file a police report on someone. He hasn't done anything yet, but I have reason to believe that he will."

"What other city does this pertain to?" The officer asked, "We'll need to know so that we can get in touch with law enforcement in that area."

"Um, Phoenix, Arizona." She said.

"Okay, if you'll come this way miss…" she said.

"Swan," Bella said, "Bella Swan."

"Okay Miss Swan," she said politely, "if you'll come this way, I'll have one of our officers help you fill out an application."

Her and the officer went to a different room, so I went back to wait with the others.

"How is she holding up?" Jasper asked me.

"I think she's okay," I said truthfully.

15 long minutes passed by. Bella came around the corner looking much better. Her eyes were brighter and she didn't look so down. She saw me and smiled. She ran up to me and kissed me.

"Well, I'll take you to the police station more often if this is the kind of welcome I get," I said with a smile.

She laughed. She was so beautiful when she laughed.

"Let's get out of here," she said, "do you guys want to get something to eat?" Emmett was right; she was full of surprises.

Everyone nodded. "Let's get some pizza," Emmett boomed.

We got in our cars and headed to the pizza place downtown. When we got there, Rosalie ordered some pizza and we sat down at a table. Bella's phone rang.

"Hello," she said.

Her eyes went wide. You could see the life drain from her eyes.

"Yes, thank you for calling…okay, bye." She said.

"What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"When we were at the police station, they got in touch with the Phoenix police department and they told me that they had concrete evidence to put Phil away. That's why I was so happy," she said, "But on the phone call I just got, Phoenix police department said that they had lost Phil. They found clues that pointed to him leaving the state."

"We'll get this taken care of, Bella," I said.

She gave me a weak smile. "I'm going to step outside for a minute."

"Okay," I said. I wanted to protest, but I couldn't even begin to understand what she was going through. I just wanted to give her some space.

*****BPOV**

I needed some fresh air. This was just too much. Why couldn't I have just lived a simple life? A normal life. Why did everything have to be messed up?

I was walking around on the sidewalk and tripped on the curb. A hand caught me. I was just about to thank the person until I looked up into those evil blue eyes.

"Well hello Isabella," An all too familiar voice said. I was just about to scream until I realized that I still had the knife Emmett gave me. I was never going to win this battle if I didn't confront him myself. No matter how many years he would be put in jail, he would still own a part of me. The longer I stayed scared, the more he won. My grip tightened around the knife**. **I looked up at him.

"Why Phil?" I questioned him, "Why me? Why Renee?"

"Because you are just like your mother," he said, "A good for nothing slut!"

He grabbed my throat hard. I pulled out the knife and stabbed him in the side. He screamed in pain.

"EMMETT! JASPER! EDWARD! COME QUICK!" I yelled.

In an instant they were there. He punched me across the face. I cried out in pain.

"It's Phil," I said in a strangled tone.

Emmett got this look in his eyes and moved towards him. Emmett punched him across the face and knocked him out cold.

"Call the police."Jasper said, "We'll make sure he doesn't get away."

I grabbed my phone and called 911. I explained the situation quickly and they said they were sending someone right away.

The cops came quickly and took Phil into custody. I filled out a report with another officer. He told me the trial would be held next Monday and I would need to testify against him. He also told me that me and Emmett's actions were definitely self defense and that nothing would happen to us. He took pictures of the fresh bruises on my neck and face. After they left we went home. After today's events, I think we all needed a good night's sleep.

**A/N: What do you guys think? I hope I didn't upset anybody…drawn out action scenes just aren't my thing. Hopefully you guys like the way I wrote it. Thanks for reading and as usual, don't forget to review!**


	15. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. I'm thinking this story will be over in the next 2-3 chapters, but don't worry; I'm already planning the sequel. So I hope you enjoy, and please review! **

The trial was set for the day after junior year ended. I would have to testify against Phil. Today I had to go to the doctor for a full physical to see if I had any old injuries that might be applicable in court. Dr. Cullen was going to see me.

"Are you ready, love?" Edward asked me.

"Yeah," I said.

He drove me over to the hospital where Carlisle worked. He greeted us immediately.

"Bella," he said, "It's so nice to see you, even if it's not under the best of circumstances."

"It's good to see you too," I said with a weak smile.

"Let's get started, shall we,' he said kindly.

I followed Carlisle in to a small exam room. "So what all will we be doing?" I asked.

"Well, basically what we need to do is find any evidence of injuries that can verify you're testimony. Things that have already healed over are still an option also; there are ways to tell if a bone has been broken in the past," he said, "so I am going to do a full x-ray panel, and I'll take some blood just to make sure you're healthy overall."

"Okay," I said.

The x-rays took the longest; they had to have taken at least 20. Carlisle then came in and did the blood work. I hated needles, but I knew it had to get done. After all of the tests, Carlisle came in to talk to me about the results.

"Well, your blood work showed that you are completely healthy," he said, "but the x-rays are what have me concerned."

"How bad was it?" I asked quietly.

"Well, from the looks of it, you have a hairline fracture in your left femur, at some point you have broken your right one, your arm bones have more fractures than I could count, and your ribs Bella—they're still not healed," he said, "how was he able to hurt you so badly?"

"After a while, kicking me with regular shoes wasn't enough for him. He started using steel-toed boots. That's how I broke my right femur." I said.

"Bella, I am so very sorry," he said, "if there's anything I can do, just tell me."

"Thanks Carlisle, but the only thing I need right now is the assurance that Phil will not come back." I said.

"I understand," he said softly, "I think we're done for today."

I left the little exam room and went to get Edward.

"I'm all done," I said to him.

"Would you like to go somewhere and eat?" he asked.

"I'd like that," I said with a small smile.

He opened my door for me and we left. We stopped at a little diner just outside of Forks. He opened my door for me and led me in to the restaurant. He sat down across from me at one of the corner tables. An older looking woman took our orders.

"What can I get you dear?" she asked me.

"Just a burger and fries with a coke please," I said politely.

"And for you?" she asked Edward.

"Same," he said.

She left with our orders and Edward turned towards me.

"How are you feeling, Bella," he asked.

"Just nervous, I guess," I said truthfully, "I just want this to be over."

"Bella," he said, "I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I know I want to spend the rest of my life with no one but you."

He pulled out a black velvet box. "I'm not proposing to you, I am promising you. I promise you, Isabella Marie Swan, that one day, I will marry you."

He opened the box and my heart dropped. Sitting there was the most perfect promise ring I had ever seen. A beautiful, football shaped opal surrounded by diamonds **(pic on profile)**. It was so pretty.

"I feel the same way Edward. I love you and I accept your promise." I said.

He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on my finger. It was a perfect fit.

"This ring reminds me of you; delicate, beautiful, captivating, and dazzling." He said.

I felt tears come to my eyes. He was so perfect.

He started rambling, "I know it may not be the best time, but—"

"I love it Edward. This couldn't be at a better time. My life is finally falling into place." I said.

"I love you Bella, more than words could ever begin to describe." He said.

"I love you too," I said.

**A/N: Kind of a short chapter, but I'm going to do an EPOV of this chapter. Thanks for reading and as always, please review!**


	16. Chapter 13 EPOV

**A/N: Here's the EPOV of chapter 13. Hope you enjoy it and please review! **

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING!**

The trial date was set. In 2 short days, we would get to see Phil go down. Today, however, I have to take Bella to see Carlisle to get a physical done. The lawyer representing us said it would be a good idea to get as much admissible evidence as we could.

"Are you ready, love?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she said.

The drive to the hospital was quiet. All I could think about was what I was going to do after the appointment. Today I was going to give Bella a promise ring. I went to Port Angeles yesterday and picked out the perfect ring. My thoughts were interrupted when we arrived at the hospital. We went in and I spotted Carlisle instantly.

"Bella," he said, "it's nice to see you, even if it's not under the best circumstances."

"It's good to see you too," she said shyly.

"Let's get started, shall we," he said.

They left to the room. I sat down in the waiting room. The whole time I couldn't stop thinking about giving Bella the promise ring. I was worried that she would say no because of the timing. How would I even ask her? I could always ask her to lunch and then ask her there…maybe that's what I'll do.

After about an hour and a half, Bella came out.

"I'm all done," she said.

"Would you like to go somewhere and eat?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Sure," she said with a shy smile.

I decided to take her to a small diner that I know of. It was right outside Forks and it had a nice quiet ambiance; she would like that. When we got there, I raced out of my seat and opened her door for her. I led her into the restaurant and we sat down a little table overlooking the forest. Thankfully, the room place we were at wasn't overcrowded.

An older looking waitress approached us.

"What can I get you dear?" she asked Bella.

"Just a burger and fries with a coke please," she said politely.

"And for you?" she asked me.

"Same," I said.

When she left I turned to Bella.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" I asked.

"Just nervous," she said, "I just want this to be over."

I had to do this now…there was no going back. "Bella," I said, nervousness setting in, "I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I know I want to spend the rest of my life with no one but you."

I took the small black box that I've had all day out of my pocket. "I'm not proposing to you, I'm promising you. I promise, Isabella Marie Swan, that one day, I will marry you."

I opened the box and Bella's eyes widened. The ring was very simple; yet when you looked passed the simplicity, it was undeniably beautiful. It was a small football shaped opal surrounded by small diamonds on a thin silver band.

"I feel the same way, Edward. I love you and accept your promise." She said.

I carefully took the ring out of the box and slid it gently on her finger.

"This ring reminds me of you; delicate, beautiful, captivating, and dazzling." I said.

Bella started to tear up…_Oh no, _I thought, _maybe it was too much for her…_

"I know it may not be the best time but—" I said nervously.

"I love it Edward. This couldn't be at a better time. My life is finally falling into place." She said.

I felt like I was going to cry; she was just too perfect. "I love you Bella, more than words could even begin to describe." I said.

"I love you too." She said.

**A/N: There you have it! Please review and tell me what know what you think!**


	17. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey guys! This chapter is going to cover the trial…I don't know a lot about law and stuff like that; I am going solely on the education I have gotten from Criminal Minds and CSI, so any lawyers or aspiring law students, I don't mean to offend you. If there is something wrong, you can just PM me or whatever. Thanks and please review!**

*****BPOV**

Today was the day of the trial. I was so scared; not of outcome of the trial, but just seeing Phil again. I couldn't wait until I didn't have to see him again. Carlisle's lawyer, Mr. Masterson, was going to be representing me. He was very confident that we would win.

"Come on Bella," Alice said bringing me back to the present, "We need to get you ready for the trial."

"Okay," I said.

I took a shower quickly and got dressed in what Alice picked out for me. I wore black slacks, a purple dress shirt, a black trench coat, and some purple ballet flats. **(Elements of outfits on profile)**

I made my way downstairs to see Alice dressed in a professional looking blue dress with blue heels. Charlie was in a business suit. **(Also on profile) **

"Bella let me see the ring!" she squealed. Edward must have told her.

"What ring?" Charlie asked nervously.

"Edward gave me a promise ring yesterday," I said.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked, "You are still so young,"

"I have never been so sure of anything." I said truthfully.

"Well then I approve," he said with a smile, "Edward is a fine young man. Let's see that ring."

I was so happy that Charlie approved. Even though I didn't know him that well yet, I already thought of him as my father. I held out my left hand. Alice gasped.

"It's so pretty," she said, dazzled.

"It's gorgeous," Charlie said.

"We had better get going," I said looking at the time. We had about an hour before the trial started.

We all piled into Charlie's SUV and headed to the courthouse. The whole drive only took about 15 minutes. We met Carlisle in front of the building.

"We need to be in courtroom 6 in 10 minutes." He said.

We headed that way and were greeted by our lawyer.

"Your testimony will be given towards the beginning, Bella," he said, "right before Carlisle says his testimony."

"Okay," I said.

"Let's head there now," Carlisle said.

We walked to courtroom 6 in silence. When we got there, I hurriedly took my seat next to Carlisle. I knew Edward was somewhere in the stands, but I was just too nervous to look. The only thing I could look at was Phil. If looks could kill, I'd be dead.

"All rise for the honorable judge Jane Volturi," the bailiff said. We all stood.

She had blonde hair that was pulled up in a bun with the regular judge's uniform on. She looked very young to be a judge. She had piercing green eyes. It almost hurt when she looked at you.

"Since Mr. Dwyer has not made a plea," she said in a sharp voice, "I would like to hear the prosecutor's opening statement please."

Mr. Masterson stood up and turned towards the court. "Ladies and gentleman of the court and jury, may I present to you Miss Isabella Swan. She moved to Washington from Phoenix harboring a terrible past. From the time she was 12, she has been beaten by her mother's husband; the very same husband who killed her mother, Renee Dwyer in a fit of rage. Ladies and gentleman of the jury, Phil Dwyer is a monster who needs to pay for his crimes." He said.

Judge Volturi looked towards Phil's lawyer. "Defense, your statement please."

His lawyer stood. "People of the courtroom, Phil Dwyer is innocent. Miss Swan made the entire thing up for attention. I beg you people of the courtroom; don't make an innocent man go away for crime he didn't commit. Let the evidence against my client speak for his innocence.

"Prosecutor, your first witness, please." Judge Volturi said.

"I call Miss Isabella Swan to the stand." He said.

I got up and sat at the stand. The bailiff approached me. I put my hand on the bible.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help you God?" He asked.

"Yes," I replied. The questioning began.

"Tell me what a day was like in the Dwyer household, Bella." He said.

"Well, during the week, I would get early in the morning and make Phil breakfast. If I didn't do it right or if it wasn't good enough or on time, I would get beat. He would punch, slap, and kick me. Once he even threw a glass plate at my head." I cringed at the memory. "I would go to school and come straight home. I would do my homework and then cook Phil and my mother dinner. As with breakfast, if I didn't do it right or fast enough, I would get a beating. Sometimes I didn't have to do anything to get a beating. If he was drunk or just in a bad mood, I was his punching bag."

"Did he ever use any object to hit you?" he asked.

"In the beginning, no; but as I got older, he switched from kicking me with his regular shoes on to kicking me with his steel-toed boots on. Also, like I said before, he hit me with a glass plate once" I said.

"Has he ever kept you from eating?" he asked.

"Yes," I said wincing at the memory, "sometimes he would keep me from eating for several days as punishment."

"No further questions;" he said.

"Defense, please proceed with questioning." Judge Volturi said.

The lawyer sitting next to Phil got up. "Miss Swan, why didn't you contact police when you first got to Forks?" he asked.

"Phil told me that if I tried to contact police, he would kill Renee." I started tearing up. If I hadn't been so naive, maybe she would still be here.

"Miss Swan would you ever intentionally hurt yourself and blame it on Phil?" he asked.

"No. Absolutely not." I said coldly.

"No further questions, your honor." He said.

"Prosecutor, your next witness please." She said.

Mr. Masterson stood. "I call Dr. Carlisle Cullen to the stand."

Carlisle got up and sat in the stand. He took the oath and the questioning began.

"Dr. Cullen, you did the physical exam on Miss Swan, correct?" he asked.

"Yes and the injuries were extensive. I have never seen such bad injuries in a woman her age." He said.

"Would you elaborate, please?" he asked.

"Her right femur has been broken and her left one has a fracture. Her arm bones, the radius in particular, have over a dozen hairline fractures. Her ribs are still healing. 3 of them broken as we sit and 4 of them are starting to heal." He said.

"In your expert opinion, what do you think these wounds were sustained with?" Mr. Masterson asked.

"I believe that the steel toed boots that Miss Swan spoke of coincide with the extensive injuries I found." He said.

"Thank you, no further questions." Mr. Masterson took his seat.

"Defense, your questions please." The judge said.

The other lawyer once again rose from his seat.

"Dr. Cullen," he said, "is there any possibility that these injuries could be self-inflicted?"

"In my expert opinion, no," he said, "the femur is the hardest bone in the body to break. She also could not have been able to break her own ribs, or have been able to sustain so many fractures on her radius."

He looked defeated. "No further questions."

"Since there are no more witnesses," Judge Volturi said, "We will take a short recess and reconvene at 2 PM for verdict and sentencing. Court adjured." She banged the gavel down.

We got up and got went to a little diner nearby for lunch.

No one really said anything. Nothing was really needed. We headed back to the courthouse. I gave Edward a quick kiss before heading back to my seat. The judge came back out.

"Has the jury reached a decision?" she asked brusquely.

A man in the juror's box stood up. "We the jury find the defendant Phil Dwyer guilty on all counts." He said.

"Phil Dwyer, for 5 counts of child abuse and neglect and 1 count of first degree murder, you are sentenced to 78 years in prison without the possibility of an early release." The judge said.

Phil was escorted out. I got up and ran into Edward's open arms. I kissed him with as much passion as I could muster. I smiled brightly at him.

"You are so beautiful when you smile," he said, "never stop."

"Give me a reason to smile and I'll smile forever," I said.

"I think I can make that happen," he said. He leaned in and kissed me with even more passion than I had.

"I love you, more than anything in the entire world." I said to him.

"I love you too, more than you will ever know." He said.

For the first time, I could breathe. For the first time, I was free.

**A/N: What did you guys think? The next chapter will be the epilogue, but don't worry, I'll have a sequel up soon. Please review!**


	18. Epilogue

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's the epilogue! Don't worry, however, because I will have the sequel up very soon! Thanks so much for all of the reviews! The song for this chapter is Say Something by A Great Big World**

**DISCLAIMER: I STILL OWN NOTHING**

**EPILOUGE—15 MONTHS LATER; BELLAS BIRTHDAY**

Senior year passed by fast. Edward and I started going to Washington University in August. He was majoring in music because he wanted to pursue his dream of being a music teacher. I was majoring in human services and psychology because I wanted to be a counselor for abused and neglected children. I made this decision after I had been to a counseling session myself. It was so helpful to get to talk to someone who understood.

I was interrupted by Alice bursting through my bedroom door.

"Happy Birthday Bella!" She screamed.

"Alice," I whined, "why do you have to do this to me now?!"

"Because it's your 19th birthday!" She squealed, "That is definitely something to celebrate! Edward is taking you out tonight, so we need to go shopping for a dress."

Before I could protest, the smoke alarm went off downstairs. I quickly ran down and was shocked at what I saw. Smoke filled the kitchen as well as the unmistakable smell of burning pancakes. Charlie stood by the stove, his face covered in pancake batter, with an apologetic smile on his face.

"You guys just want some cereal?" he asked, defeated.

I laughed. "Let me help you," I said.

I cleaned up the burnt pancake mix, and made a dozen perfect pancakes. I set the table for Charlie, Alice, and I.

"When does shopping begin?" I asked begrudgingly.

"Yay!" she screamed, "We are going to get ready right now! Dad, you can do the dishes."

Charlie huffed as he got up and cleaned up the kitchen. I walked upstairs and put on some faded jeans and a black tank top. I put on my blue jacket over it and brushed through my hair.

"Alright Alice, I'm ready." I said.

"Let's go!" she squeaked.

We got in her car and drove to Port Angeles. When we got to the mall, Alice dragged me through store after store; dressing room to dressing room. After 4 hours, I finally put my foot down.

"Alice, one more store. I mean it this time." I said sternly.

"Fine, but only because it's your birthday." She said.

She led me into Forever 21. After about 30 minutes, I found my dress. It was a blue dress with sheer lace sleeves and flared out to mid thigh. After looking for a little while longer, I found a pair of heels that weren't unreasonably high and matched my dress perfectly. **(On profile)**

We stopped at the food court on our way out and got some Subway. By the time we got home, I had 3 hours to get ready, which by Alice's standards, was rushing it. I took a shower first, using the fancy body products that Alice gave me. As soon as I was done I was pushed in front of the mirror so that Alice could do my hair. I asked her to do something simple, so she put into a braided bun. She did my makeup very light; some eye-shadow that matched my dress, mascara, and lip gloss was all she put on. I put my dress and shoes on and waited anxiously for Edward to get here. About 10 minutes later, I heard a knock on the door.

*****EDWARD POV**

When Bella opened the door, the breath was knocked out of me. She was absolutely beautiful. Her dress clung to her body perfectly, her shoes made her legs look 10 miles long, and her makeup enhanced her natural beauty perfectly. I had to be the luckiest man alive.

"Wow," I said.

She blushed. "What?" She asked.

"You look absolutely gorgeous," I said, "happy birthday."

"Thanks," she said.

"Are you ready?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she said.

I opened her door for her and quickly got in to my own.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"It's a surprise," I said.

"You know I hate surprises," she said.

"I know, but I think you'll like this one." I said smiling.

*****BELLA POV**

We drove for nearly an hour. I couldn't figure out where he was taking me. Finally, we pulled up to the edge of the woods.

"We're hiking! I wouldn't have worn heels if I knew we were hiking" I said. All I could picture is me tripping and falling over logs and trees.

"Don't worry; I made a path so that we could just walk there. And besides, it's just a few minutes from here." He said.

He was right about the path. Rather than the rough, bumpy forest terrain, there was a smooth dirt path. We only walked for about 6 minutes. We came to a little meadow that was dimly lit with lanterns. The sight I saw took my breath away. In the center of the clearing, there was a small table set with a beautiful dinner. I recognized it as the first meal we ate together; linguini with pesto sauce and fettuccini alfredo. I looked at Edward in amazement.

"You remembered!" I said with tears in my eyes.

"Of course," he said, hugging me, "let's eat."

We ate in silence, just enjoying each other's company.

"Bella," he said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"You kind of just did," I said playfully.

He smiled and stood up. "Bella, I've wanted to do this for a long time." He got down on one knee and my heart dropped.

"Bella, I love you so much. I've loved you since I laid my eyes on you. We've been through so much together and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. A little over a year ago I made you a promise. Right now, I want to fulfill that promise. Isabella Marie Swan, will you do me the extraordinary honor of being my wife?" He held out the ring. It had one medium sized diamond on a thin band that had diamonds all around it. It was beautiful and simple. **(On profile)**

I was speechless. I could feel the tears spilling over in my eyes. "Forever?" I asked tearfully.

"We can start there," he said smiling.

I laughed, "Then yes," I said. I got down on my knees to where we were level and I kissed him with as much passion as I could possibly have. He kissed me back with even more fervor.

In that moment, nothing in the past mattered. The only thing that mattered was being surrounded by my friends, family and most importantly, the love of my life.

**The End**

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! I hope you liked this story as much as I did. I would really like to thank all of you that reviewed throughout this story. It means the world to me. I will definitely have the sequel up tomorrow…And don't forget to review!**


	19. SEQUEL!

**A/N: Hey guys the sequel has been posted! It's called A Brand New Life. If you liked Light at the End of the Tunnel, I encourage you to give it a shot. I will be updating as frequently as I did with my other story. Please Review. Thanks!**


	20. Sorry about the Sequel

**A/N: Sorry to inform all of you who have read the sequel but I just took it down. Honestly I had really good intentions for it, but I found that every time I went to write I had terrible writers block. I hope you all enjoyed this story and I'm sorry if I upset anyone who really wanted a sequel. Thank you giving this story a chance and I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed it.**


End file.
